Self-contained drill ship

ABSTRACT

A self-contained, multi-purpose drill ship including means for drilling and completing to production an offshore oil well without the use of additional vessels or equipment.

O United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,802,209 Weaver Apr. 9, 1974 [54] SELF-CONTAINED DRILL SHIP 3,368,509 2/l968 Knight, Jr. et al. 114/.5 D 2,976,693 3/1961 Showalter et a1. [76] Inventor: Weaver Q of 2,938,352 5/1960 Knapp et al. 61/465 Commerce Bldg., Su1te 1432, Houston, Tex. 77002 2 Filed; Sept 25 1972 Primary Examiner.lacob Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or FirmPravel, Wilson & Matthews [2l] Appl. No.: 291,917

[52] US. Cl 6l/72.3, 61/465, 114/.5 D,

175/7 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl E21b 15/02, B63b 35/04 [58] Field of Search 61/465, 72.3, 72.1; A self-contained, multi-purpose drill ship including 175/7, 5, 8, 9; 114/.5 D means for drilling and completing to production an offshore oil well without the use of additional vessels [56] References Cited or equipment.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,685,305 8/1972 Lloyd 6l/72.3 11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures i i Willi SELF-CONTAINED DRILL SHIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of this invention is offshore oil well drilling and production In offshore oil well drilling and production, it is known to use different vessels for drilling, erecting platforms, or laying piping for production of a completed well.

For example, U. S. Pat. No. 3,378,086, issued to Kivisild, disclosed embodiments for either off-the-side or through the vessel drilling only. U. S. Pat. No. 3,001,595, issued to Lucus, disclosed a derrick barge arrangement for platform erection drilling and servicing only and U. S. Pat. No. 3,373,807, issued to Fischer et al., disclosed a barge whose sole function is connecting pipeline to a submerged well head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved self-contained, multi-purpose vessel for drilling and completing a wildcat well or developing an entire field offshore and providing a flow line from the producing wells to storage without using any other vessels. The self-contained drilling and completion vessel of the preferred embodiment of this invention has a central opening therein for drilling a well through the vessel and a side drill means for drilling and/or completing a well over the side area of the vessel. Pipe laying means are provided on the deck for laying a flow line from a completed well to a storage area, which may be located on shore or offshore. The vessel of this invention further includes tender platform apparatus for servicing a well platform such as a developmental platform. The vessel also performs as a derrick barge for providing general lifting capabilities in order to build a platform and otherwise move drilling equipment. By

utilizing the vessel of this invention, it is possible to drill and complete an initial or wildcat well and thereafter develop the field of the wildcat well and then provide flow lines from the field of producing wells to a storage area without the use of any other floating vessels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the self-contained, multi-purpose floating vessel of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the vessel of this invention illustrating the pipe laying means thereof;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view illustrating the vessel of the preferred embodiment of this invention performing tender platform activities; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation view illustrating the operation of the vessel as a derrick barge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawing, the letter V generally designates a self-propelled, floating vessel for performing all the necessary drilling and completion operations to bring either a single oil well or an entire field located offshore into production without the use of additional vessel or floating equipment. The vessel V is a singlehull ship defined by vessel sides a and 10b, bow 10c and'stern 10d. A helioport 11 is mounted by supports 11a over the stern deck 10c.

The vessel V has a central opening 12 located substantially in the middle of the ship near the pitching axis of the ship. The opening 12 is defined by four walls and extends entirely through the center portion of the vessel. Referring to FIG. 1, a derrick 14 is erected over the opening 12. The derrick 14 may be erected utilizing a main crane 15. The main crane 15 has sufficient boom 15a to erect the derrick l4 and is mounted for 360 rotation. The main crane 15 may be moved longitudinally of the ship along a track 15b. The vessel V includes all the power equipment necessary to drill a well through the center opening 12. For example, the mud tanks are schematically represented at 16 as being located between the center of the ship-and the stern and the mud pumping equipment 17 is schematically represen ted as being located next to the mud tanks 16. Further, the rotary power equipment may be housed withinhousing 18 and, a plurality of pipe racks generally designated as 19 may be provided between the main crane as illustrated in FIG. 1 and the bow 10c of the vessel. It should be understood that the exact location of the various rotary power equipment 18 may be anywhere within the confines of the vessel so long as they are operative in cooperation with the derrick 14 to drill an oil well.

A side drill means generally designated as 20 is formed at side 10b of the vessel V. The side drill means is actually a recess or indentation 20a formed by side wall 200 and walls 20b and 20d of sponsons 10f and The derrick 14 is mounted by a skid means generally designated as 22 for movement between a position over the central opening 12 and a position substantially over the side recess drilling area 20a. The skid means includes tracks 22a and 22b which extend from a position substantially adjacent the central opening 12 outwardly over the walls 20b, 20c, and 20d of the recessed side drilling area 20a. In this manner, the derrick 14 can be moved between a position over the central drilling opening 12 to a position over the recessed area 20a at the side 10b of the vessel V so that the drilling operations can take place at the side 10b of the vessel. The

. derrick 14 is fully supported over recess 20a by supports 20e and 20f, which extend from walls 20b and 20d to the derrick such that no part of the derrick extends beyond the supports 20e and 20f.

Referring to FIG. 2, a pipe laying means generally designated as 25 is provided for laying a pipe or flow line from a Christmas tree of a completed off-shore well to a storage area either on shore or off shore. The pipe laying means includes welding stations 25a, 25b and 250 at side 10a of the vessel V and a ramp 25d which extends from the welding stations downwardly at an incline to water level generally designated as W. Of course, it is understood that the number of welding stations such as 25a as well as the angle of inclination and actual height or elevation of end 25e of the pipe ramp 25 may be varied as desired. Further, the ramp 25 includes machinerysuch as clamping devices for controlling the descent of pipe within the ramp.

Referring in particular to FIG. 4, the vessel V of the preferred embodiment of this invention can be operated for general lifting purposes as a derrick barge in the following manner. The crane 15, which is mounted for 360 rotation and movement longitudinally along track 15b, may be used to lift practically any type of drilling equipment and platform equipment such as platform housing 26 onto the platform 27, which can also be constructed bythe use of the main crane 15. A second crane generally designated as 28, which is also mounted for 360 rotation, is located adjacent side 10b of the vessel V in order to be utilized for moving general drilling equipment such as pipe from the pipe rack 19. It is within the scope of this invention to utilize one or both of the cranes l and 28 for any general lifting purposes normally provided by a separate derrick barge.

The vessel V of the preferred embodiment of this invention may be utilized and operated as a tender to a platform in the manner illustrated schematically in FIGS. In FIG. 3, the crane 15 has been utilized to construct the platform 27' having the derrick 14 thereon. The vessel V performs operations substantially adjacent to the drilling platform 27 and by providing auxiliary drilling functions. For example, the pipe rack 19 will be-utilized to stack the drill pipes whenever necessary and the mud tank 16 and mud pump 17 are utilized in cooperation with rotary drilling equipment such as 18, which is moved from the vessel V onto the platform 27', to drill one or more wells from the platform 27'. It is within the scope of this invention to utilize the vessel V as a tender to provide all necessary drilling services to the platform 27' such that the platform 27' may drill one or more wells below water level W.

In the operation and use of the self-contained, multipurpose drilling and production vessel V of the preferred embodiment of this invention, the derrick 14 may be utilized in cooperation with rotary drilling equipment 18 and mud tank l6 and mud pump 17 and other drilling equipment to drill an offshore oil well such as an initial wildcat well through the central opening 12. As the drilling of the oil well approaches completion, the derrick 14 may be moved over the recessed area 20a of the side b of the vessel V and thereafter the final drilling operations are completed over the side 10b. After final drilling operations are completed, the well casing is brought to the surface at water level W and the well is completed by utilizing main crane and second crane 28 to place a christmas tree and/or protective wall jacket at the completed well.

After the initial or wildcat well is thus completed, the main crane 15 and second crane 28 may be used as a derrick barge to build developmental platform 27' having derrick 14' thereon. As is known in the art of offshore oil well drilling, the developmental platform 27 may be utilized to develop the field of the completed wildcat well.

In developing the entire field from the platform 27, the vessel V is positioned as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the drilling equipment on board the vessel V is utilized such that the vessel operates as a tender to the developmental platform 27'.

Further, the pipe laying means 25 may be utilized to provide a flow line from the completed wildcat well and other wells completed from the platform 27 The flow line is laid utilizing the welding stations 25a, 25b and 250 to weld pipe lengths (not shown) together and lower such welded pipe lengths down ramp 25d into the water. in this manner, the vessel V of the preferred embodiment of this invention is utilized to drill an initial or wildcat well and thereafter develop the entire field and even provide flow line for production purposes from the developed field wells to storage facilities, all

such functions being accomplished without the use of additional floating vessels.

It should be understood that it is within the scope of this invention to provide a vessel V having the dimensions and displacement and propulsion means necessary to function in whatever ocean or sea desired. It is further understood that all equipment will be provided as necessary to house a full crew of men in addition to providing drilling equipment necessary to drill a plurality of oil wells.

The foregoing disclosure and diseription of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-contained, multi-purpose offshore drill and well completion vessel, comprising:

a floating vessel having a central opening therein for drilling a well through the vessel;

side drill means mounted with said floating vessel for completing a well over a side of said vessel;

an oil well derrick positioned on the deck of said vessel over said central opening;

means mounting said derrick for movement between said central opening and said side drill means; and

pipe laying means for laying a flow line from a completed well whereby an offshore well is drilled and brought to production by said vessel. 2. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: tender-platform means for serving a platform. 3. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: derrick barge means for operating said vessel as a derrick barge for loading and unloading platform and drilling equipment or the like. 4. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said side drill means includes means for drilling a well over the side of said vessel. 5. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: a crane located on said vessel, said crane having sufficient boom to provide an oil well derrick. 6. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said pipe laying means includes:

a welding station for welding pipe lengths together;

and means for lowering said pipe into the water. 1 7. The structure set forth in claim 2, wherein said tender-platform means includes:

drilling fluid storage and pumping facilities. 8. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said side drill means includes a recess in a side of said vessel; and means for mounting a derrick over said recess. 9. The structure set forth in claim 1, including tender-platform means for serving a platform; and derrick barge means for operating said vessel as a derrick barge for loading and unloading drilling equipment or the like. 10. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: pipe rack means for storing pipe. 11. The structure set forth in claim 5, including: said first-mentioned crane being positioned at approximately the middle of said vessel; and a second crane positioned between said firstmentioned crane and the bow of said vessel. 

1. A sElf-contained, multi-purpose offshore drill and well completion vessel, comprising: a floating vessel having a central opening therein for drilling a well through the vessel; side drill means mounted with said floating vessel for completing a well over a side of said vessel; an oil well derrick positioned on the deck of said vessel over said central opening; means mounting said derrick for movement between said central opening and said side drill means; and pipe laying means for laying a flow line from a completed well whereby an offshore well is drilled and brought to production by said vessel.
 2. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: tender-platform means for serving a platform.
 3. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: derrick barge means for operating said vessel as a derrick barge for loading and unloading platform and drilling equipment or the like.
 4. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said side drill means includes means for drilling a well over the side of said vessel.
 5. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: a crane located on said vessel, said crane having sufficient boom to provide an oil well derrick.
 6. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said pipe laying means includes: a welding station for welding pipe lengths together; and means for lowering said pipe into the water.
 7. The structure set forth in claim 2, wherein said tender-platform means includes: drilling fluid storage and pumping facilities.
 8. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein: said side drill means includes a recess in a side of said vessel; and means for mounting a derrick over said recess.
 9. The structure set forth in claim 1, including tender-platform means for serving a platform; and derrick barge means for operating said vessel as a derrick barge for loading and unloading drilling equipment or the like.
 10. The structure set forth in claim 1, including: pipe rack means for storing pipe.
 11. The structure set forth in claim 5, including: said first-mentioned crane being positioned at approximately the middle of said vessel; and a second crane positioned between said first-mentioned crane and the bow of said vessel. 